Aquatic play equipment

ABSTRACT

An aquatic play equipment formed by a flexible thin film to define a space inside for floating on water is provided. The aquatic play equipment has a floating part into which air is supplied for floating on the water, a guiding part which is provided under the floating part and into which water is supplied; and, a planer partition provided between the floating part and the guiding part to prevent fluid-communication therebetween; a lower surface of the guiding part having a convex shape which protrudes into the water. When a person has dived below the aquatic play equipment, since the lower surface has the convex shape, the person can rise to the water surface easily.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/JP2019/44207 filed on Nov. 12, 2019 which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-178153 filed on Sep. 29, 2019.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an aquatic play equipment, and particularly to an aquatic play equipment provided with a surfacing guiding part which prevents a water accident.

In recent years, facilities called as an aquatic athletic or a marine water park that float on a water surface of a pool or sea, etc., have been popular. These facilities are facilities wherein a number of a play equipment such as bag-shaped mats and sliders in which air is sealed are combined and made to float on a water surface; and it is possible to walk and run on the combined play equipment, and moreover, it is possible to jump into the pool or the sea from this play equipment. A large number of this combined play equipment is made of a material such as polyvinyl chloride, etc., and air is sealed therein.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional aquatic play equipment of which lower surface is a flat surface. This is a play equipment having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example, of that of a beach mat or a bed mattress, and is such an equipment that a plurality of pieces of the equipment can be connected to each other, or which is combined with another play equipment and made to float on a water surface, and it is possible to walk or run on this aquatic play equipment.

The play equipment to be floated on the surface of water is not transparent in many cases, and there is such a case that it is not possible to easily confirm when a person has dived into water below the play equipment; and since the lower surface of the play equipment is substantially horizontal, there is such a case that if a person is wearing a life jacket, the body of the person is pressed against the lower surface of the play equipment due to a force of buoyancy of the life jacket, making it difficult for the person to rise to the water surface even by swimming. Consequently, in a case that the lower surface of the aquatic play equipment is horizontal, there is such a possibility that this might lead to a water accident.

Publication of Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3009965 discloses, in FIG. 7, a diagram in which a safety net is attached to a water-surface floating play equipment for preventing the possibility of the water accident. By attaching the safety net, it is possible to prevent such an accident that a person is hindered by a horizontal sheet when dived into water below the floating play equipment, is not capable of floating above the water surface, and thus is drown.

Although the safety net disclosed in FIG. 7 of Publication of Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3009965 is effective as a safety device of the aquatic play equipment, this safety net has a complicated structure and is heavy in weight, and thus when this safety net is set on the lower side of the aquatic play equipment, there is a such problem that the aquatic play equipment is sunk due to the self-weight of the safety net.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an aquatic play equipment which is configured, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, such that a lower surface of the aquatic play equipment is made to be a convex part, and by sealing or filling a fluid, namely, air and/or water in the convex part, thereby making it possible for a person to rise above a water surface easily by the convex part on the lower surface of the aquatic play equipment even if the person dives below the aquatic play equipment.

According to an aspect of the invention, an aquatic play equipment which is formed by a flexible thin film to define a space inside for floating on water is provided. The aquatic play equipment comprises a floating part into which air is supplied for floating on the water;

a guiding part which is provided under the floating part and into which water is supplied; and,

a planer partition provided between the floating part and the guiding part to prevent fluid-communication therebetween;

a lower surface of the guiding part having a convex shape which protrudes into the water.

Since the convex shape is provided on the lower surface of the guiding part of the aquatic play equipment, even in a case that a person dives below the aquatic play equipment, the person is able to rise to the water surface easily. Further, by providing the partition, it is possible to suppress a movement of the water filled in the surfacing guiding part, and to facilitate stabilization of the aquatic play equipment.

The convex shape of the lower surface of the guiding part may be substantially a circular arc column shape. By configuring in such manner, since the lower surface of the aquatic play equipment is inclined toward the water surface from a central part thereof, it is possible for a person to rise to the water surface easily along the inclined lower surface by the force of buoyancy.

The convex shape of the lower surface of the guiding part may be a triangular column shape. By configuring in such manner, since the lower surface of the aquatic play equipment is inclined toward the water surface from the central part thereof, it is possible for a person to rise to the water surface easily along the inclined lower surface by the force of buoyancy.

The floating part and the guiding part may be formed separately; and the guiding part is detachably connected to a lower surface of the floating part. Since it is possible to separate the upper part and the lower part of the aquatic play equipment, it is possible to attach the guiding part of the lower part after the water surface-floating part has been assembled, and it is also possible to detach the guiding part and use only the floating part of the aquatic play equipment. In this case, the lower surface of the floating part may have same size as an upper surface of the guiding part.

A plurality of eyelets may be provided on a periphery of the floating part and the guiding part; and the eyelets provided on the floating part and the eyelets provided on the guiding part are tied by a rope and brought into tight contact. By configuring in such manner, it is possible to produce the floating part and the guiding part separately, and to bring the water surface-floating part and the surfacing guiding part sealed and/or filled with air or water into tight contact firmly.

An air layer may be provided by filling the water in a lower part of the guiding part, and by sealing the air in an upper part of the guiding part. By providing the air layer, it is possible to generate the force of buoyancy only equivalent to the weight of the guiding part, and to prevent the floating part from sinking due to the weight of the surfacing guiding part.

As described above, according to the invention, even when a person has dived below the aquatic play equipment, the lower surface of the aquatic play equipment is inclined due to the convex shape, thereby making it possible for the person to rise to the water surface easily along the inclined lower surface. Further, it is also possible to prevent the floating part from sinking due to the weight of the guiding part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aquatic play equipment which includes a water surface-floating part and a surfacing guiding part, according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from therebelow.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the aquatic play equipment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line B-B shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an aquatic play equipment in which a shape of a convex part is a triangular column shape.

FIG. 6A is a plan view of an aquatic play equipment of which flat surface is circular shaped; and FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C are cross-sectional views thereof.

FIG. 7A is a plan view of an aquatic play equipment in which an upper art and a lower part of the aquatic play equipment are separated, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a conventional aquatic play equipment of which lower surface is a flat surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An aquatic play equipment having a convex part provided on a guiding part, according to an embodiment of the present invention, will be described below by referring to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the aquatic play equipment which includes a water surface-floating part (floating part) and a surfacing guiding part (guiding part), according to the embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from therebelow. A water surface-floating part 2 of an aquatic play equipment 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a part which has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as that of a mattress of a bed, which has air sealed inside a hermetically sealable space formed by a thin film of a flexible material, and which floats on a water surface. A surfacing guiding part 3 is provided on a lower part of the aquatic play equipment 1, and a convex part 4 is provided on the surfacing guiding part 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the surfacing guiding part 3 is provided under the lower surface of the water surface-floating part 2.

The surfacing guiding part 3 is a part which is formed of a material same as that of the water surface-floating part 2, and is a part which, when a person has dived below the aquatic play equipment 1, guides the person to a water surface along an inclination of the convex part 4 by a force of buoyancy of the person or a force of buoyancy of a life jacket. An underwater outer coat (skin) 5 is a thin film of an underwater part of a surface of the surfacing guiding part 3. Further, a plurality of fluid inlet/discharge ports 8 is provided on the surfacing guiding part 3. The air or water is sealed/filled in and discharged out through the fluid inlet/discharge ports 8. A fluid inlet/discharge port of the water surface-floating part 2 is not shown in the diagram (similarly applicable to the drawings as described in the following).

The convex part 4 of the surfacing guiding part 3 has a substantially circular arc column shape, and the aquatic play equipment 1 and another aquatic play equipment are combined to thereby form a facility called as aquatic athletic or marine water park.

Other than the water surface-floating part 2 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape shown in FIG. 1, a flat surface of the aquatic play equipment may have a circular shape or some other shape; and/or an above-water surface 6 of the aquatic play equipment may have a shape which is horizontal and which allows walking thereon; and other than this, the aquatic play equipment may be an aquatic play equipment such as a play equipment provided with a slide, a play equipment such as a ladder, and a play equipment provided with a convex part like a mountain (heap) provided on the above-water surface 6. It is allowable that a thin film of each of these aquatic play equipment is formed of a material which is flexible and which isolates (blocks off) a fluid, and is formed, for example, of polyvinyl chloride, etc.

Regardless of which shape the above-water surface 6 of the aquatic play equipment might have, a convex part is formed on the lower surface thereof, and water is filled in that convex part. By the water being filled inside, the water-surface floating part 2 is allowed to float on the water surface, without the force of buoyancy being generated in the convex part on the lower surface, as if in such a state that the convex part 4 of the surfacing guiding part 3 is not provided.

Note that, by the surfacing guiding part 3 being provided on the lower part of the aquatic play equipment 1, in a case that the water surface-floating part 2 of the upper part sinks due to the weight of the surfacing guiding part 3, it is allowable that the water is not filled in the entirety of the surfacing guiding part 3 of the lower part, and that the air is sealed so that a force of buoyancy equivalent to the weight of the surfacing guiding part 3 is generated, thereby making an upper part of the surfacing guiding part 3 to be an air layer 7.

Further, a partition 9 which is shown in FIG. 3, etc., and which is to be described later is formed between the water surface-floating part 2 in the upper part and the surfacing guiding part 3 in the lower part. Since the air in the upper part and the water in the lower part are isolated without moving by the partition 9, the aquatic play equipment 1 is stabilized. A surface of the partition 9 which faces toward the water surface-floating part 2 and the other surface of the partition 9 which faces toward the surfacing guiding part 3 are flat surfaces and the both surfaces of the partition 9 have same surface size.

Generally, although the water surface-floating part 2, the surfacing guiding part 3, and the partition 9 are to be produced integrally, it is allowable that the partition 9 between the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 may be omitted.

Furthermore, it is allowable to provide such an aspect that the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 are produced separately, and that the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 are combined together after the air or water have been sealed and/or filled in each of the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the aquatic play equipment 1 shown in FIG. 1, and the shape shown in FIG. 2 is a substantially rectangular shape. In this plan view, there are cutting-plane lines (section lines) A-A and B-B, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line B-B shown in FIG. 2. Since the cross-sectional view in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along a bus line of a circular arc column, a shape of FIG. 4 is substantially rectangular. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the surfacing guiding part 3 is submerged under the water.

In the cross section shown in FIG. 3, the convex part 4 is formed to be directed downward the water surface, and has a shape which is a circular arc shape. In such a presumed case that a person has dived below the aquatic play equipment 1, the force of buoyancy of the person and, if that person is wearing a life jacket, the force of buoyancy of the life jacket are applied. Consequently, although an upward force of buoyancy is generated, the lower surface of the surfacing guiding part 3 is circular-arc shaped, the person is capable of rising to the water surface along the circular-arc shape due to the force of buoyancy, without remaining under water. Note that, a figure resembling to a person shown in FIG. 3 indicates how the person, even when dived below the aquatic play equipment 1, rises along the circular-arc shaped inclination (similarly applicable to FIG. 6B to be described in the following).

Here, a hatched part shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 indicates that water is filled (similarly applicable to hatched part in FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C, and FIG. 7B which will be described in the following). In the surfacing guiding part 3, the water is not filled in the entirety of a space thereof, and the air is sealed therein so as to form the air layer 7. By sealing the air such that the force of buoyancy equivalent to the weight of the surfacing guiding part 3 is generated, it is possible to prevent the water surface-floating part 2 from sinking due to the weight of the surfacing guiding part 3. Further, the partition 9 is formed between the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3. Furthermore, the surfacing guiding part 3 is provided with the plurality of fluid (water or air) inlet/discharge ports 8. Note that, although the cross section is circular arc shaped, the cross section may have a shape which is not a circular arc shape, and may be a shape inclined toward the water surface, for example, such as an elliptical shape or a parabolic shape.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an aquatic play equipment 10 wherein the shape of a convex part 4 of a surfacing guiding part 3 is a triangular column shape. One side surface of the triangular column is in a state of being joined to the lower surface of the water surface-floating part 2, and the other two side surfaces form the convex part 4. Further, the surfacing guiding part 3 is provided with a plurality of fluid inlet/discharge ports 8.

Each of the two side surfaces of the triangular column of the surfacing guiding part 3 is inclined toward the water surface; thus, a person, even in a state of having dived below the aquatic play equipment 10, is capable of rising to the water surface along the convex part 4 owing to the force of buoyancy. In such manner, by providing the convex part 4 on the surfacing guiding part 3, the lower surface of the surfacing guiding part 3 of the aquatic play equipment 10 is triangular pillar shaped, and is inclined toward the water surface, rather than being horizontal; thus, a person, even in a state of having dived below the aquatic play equipment 10, is capable of rising to the water surface easily.

Note that, although the cross-sectional view of the shape of the surfacing guiding part 3 of FIG. 5 was omitted, the surfacing guiding part 3 is triangular column shaped, and thus a cross-sectional view parallel to the bottom surface of the triangular column is triangular-shaped, and a cross-sectional view parallel to a side of a side surface is rectangular-shaped.

FIG. 6A is a plan view in which a flat surface of the aquatic play equipment is circular, and FIG. 6B and FIG. 6C are cross-sectional views along two orthogonal lines A-A and B-B passing through the center of the circle. Both the cross sections are circular arc shaped, and the convex part 4 of the surfacing guiding part 3 has a shape cut out by a flat surface not passing through the center of a sphere. Note that a height of the convex part toward under the water surface may be same as or greater than a radius of the sphere. Further, the convex part 4 may have a shape obtained by cutting out a paraboloidal surface or an elliptical surface, rather than cutting out the sphere.

FIG. 7A is a plan view of an aquatic play equipment 30 in which a water surface-floating part 2 and a surfacing guiding part 3 are separated, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view along a line A-A. FIG. 7B is a drawing in which the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 3 is separated into the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3. Since this is an aspect wherein the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 are separated, it is allowable that the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 are fixed by an adhesive 11, or that a plurality of eyelets 12 are provided on a periphery of the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3, and the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 are joined by tying the eyelet 12 provided on the water surface-floating part 2 and the eyelet 12 provided on the surfacing guiding part 3 by a rope. Further, the adhesive 11 and the eyelets 12 may be used in combination. By separating the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3, it is possible to assemble the water surface-floating part 2 and the surfacing guiding part 3 separately, and it is also possible to remove (detach) and use the surfacing guiding part 3.

Note that, by making the thin film forming the aquatic play equipment be transparent, it is possible to check visually even in a case that a person has dived below the aquatic play equipment, but a plurality of lifeguards becomes necessary for the visual check. The present invention is configured such that the convex part is provided to the lower surface of the aquatic play equipment, and thus even when a person has dived (underwater), the person is capable of rising to the water surface along the inclination of the convex part by the force of buoyancy of the person and the force of buoyance of the life jacket. Therefore, the lifeguard for visual checking is not necessary.

Further, since the convex part provided on the surfacing guiding part is produced of the thin film formed of the flexible material, the surface is smooth, and the person is not snagged on (is not entangled in) the convex part, unlike in a net-like (mesh-like) structure. Furthermore, it is possible to produce the water surface-floating part and the surfacing guiding part which is provided with the convex part integrally by a same material, rather than by a net-like (mesh-like) material which is totally different from that of the water surface-floating part. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An aquatic play equipment which is formed by a flexible thin film to define a space inside for floating on water, comprising: a floating part into which air is supplied for floating on the water; a guiding part which is provided under the floating part and into which water is supplied; and, a planer partition provided between the floating part and the guiding part to prevent fluid-communication therebetween; a lower surface of the guiding part having a convex shape which protrudes into the water.
 2. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 1, wherein the convex shape is a circular arc column shape.
 3. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 1, wherein the convex shape is a triangular column shape.
 4. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 1, wherein the floating part and the guiding part are formed separately; and the guiding part is detachably connected to a lower surface of the floating part.
 5. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the floating part has same size as an upper surface of the guiding part.
 6. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of eyelets is provided on a periphery of the floating part and the guiding part, and the eyelet provided on the floating part and the eyelet provided on the guiding part are tied by a rope and brought into tight contact.
 7. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 1, wherein an air layer is provided by filling the water in a lower part of the guiding part, and by sealing the air in an upper part of the guiding part.
 8. The aquatic play equipment according to claim 1, wherein the guiding part makes a person dived below the aquatic play equipment rise to the water surface along the convex shape of the lower surface owing to the force of buoyancy. 